I particularly like doing a low country boil, which I became fascinated with when watching the movie “Steel Magnolias”...you remember the part at the Chinquapin Parish

Christmas Festival in Louisiana…. where Truvy and Annelle are working a food booth, scooping up large helpings of Low Country Boil?

And if you remember that part, you will also remember Annelle saying “You really should try one – we’ve already pulled their little heads off and everything!”

Of course she was referring to all the crawfish being served in the low country boil of corn on the cob, potatoes, onions and andouille sausage.

Me, personally…I don’t care for crawfish.

Memories of finding them in creek beds and playing with them as a child on the farm, you see.

However…I do love making a low country boil using shrimp and lobster and stone crab.

So I am attaching a recipe that you can adjust to your liking, using whatever seafood you prefer.

Add or remove seafood….your choice.

My tablescape starts with a crab/lobster trap centerpiece surrounded by sea shells, a pelican and lantern.

The place mats are burlap and the white chippy chargers are off white.

The plates show detailed instructions on how to eat a lobster.

You would be surprised at how many people do not know how to crack crab legs or lobster tails.

Also at the place setting… are the tools needed, such as a wooden mallet for cracking shells and if that doesn’t work, lobster crackers and a pick to “dig” out the sweet, juicy, fleshy parts.

Yum!!!!

The flatware feature sail boats and rope edging, which tie into the red and white lifesaver napkin rings.

I love that the white napkins have lobster and crab images.

The water glasses are mason jars.

So are the red salt and pepper shakers.

I placed a red lantern on one end of the table…

and a red and white striped pitcher with white flowers on the other end.

There is also a pelican sitting on a pylon near fishnet and more sea shells, many of which I picked up on Sanibel Island which is considered the sea shell capital of the world.

In other words, there are lots of sea shells to find, especially near the old light house.

One can’t have seafood without clarified butter and these little pourable pots provide this yummy part of the meal.

Not all of the sea shells came from Sanibel Island,….. the Captain and I have collected so many from walking along the beaches of Southwest Florida….some may have even been picked up on moonlight walks as the pearly shine of the inside shells glisten in the moonlight.

Just sayin’

I really think the lobster/crab trap centerpiece represents the fishing industry and yes, that is a resin crab climbing up the fish net.

One must have the utensils as well as one’s fingers. 🙂

Chances are you might want to add a “bib” of some sort to keep your clothes from getting a little less messy.

There are many options on making a seafood boil. One is to put “the fixin’s” on a flat cookie sheet and into the oven, making this one of the simplest meals to make.

Fill a 2 1/2- to 3-gallon stockpot half full with water and bring to a boil. Add the seasoning and potatoes to the pot. Allow the water to return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the onions and sausage. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Add the corn, bring the water back to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are done. Remove veggies and add the lobster tails and boil for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or drain in a large colander and serve on a large platter or on newspaper.

Notes

You can also bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes rather than boiling on top of the stove. Just layer everything on a cookie sheet, no water needed.

Love your contributions to Tablescape Thursday!
BUT…I’m a northern girl -clam bake style. Small red potatoes in the bottom of the pot with a scant inch of water and a good stiff pour of white wine with minced garlic and onions – boil a few minutes. Clams, mussels till they just open, throw the lobsters on top – steam for 15 minutes. Corn at the end – very last for just a quick steaming. Pull it all out, reduce the liquid/juices with minced garlic and onions, a dollop of mustard, and a glug of cream. Salt and pepper. Dump seafood etc. on the table covered with news paper. Pour the thickened “sauce” in a dunking bowl in the middle. Crusty bread for all the juice sopping.
I envy you your crab! I have only had real, fresh crab once in my life – Heaven! All we get is ‘previously frozen’, the same with shrimp, for the most part. But we have lobster (now about 2.99/lb!) and all kinds of clams! I do have to say, with your beautiful pictures, I’m adding shell-on shrimp the next time! And maybe some of our Portuguese sausage. Can I call it “High Country Boil” then?
Thanks!

Thanks and Yum, Lizzie! yours sounds wonderful and you can call it anything you want to…lol. I always have loved sopping with crusty bread. Seafood has always been a favorite of mine! delish! thanks for stopping by.

Thanks Cathy and I hear ya on the fried shrimp! It is one of my favorites too! And believe it or not, here in Florida, some people need instructions on how to eat both lobster and crab and I used to be one of em’ ! 😉 thanks for stopping by my Blog!